urn:taro:utarl.00148Fort Worth Star-Telegram Collection, Series 8: Index Cards: Texas and New Mexico Oil Fields and World War II Texas Servicemen’s Records:A GuideFinding aid encoded by Ann E. Hodges, September 28, 2008.Finding aid written in English.
Descriptive Summary
Fort Worth Star-Telegram.Fort Worth Star-Telegram Collection, Series 8: Index Cards: Texas and New Mexico Oil Fields and World War II Texas Servicemen’s Records1941-1970sA collection of 18,800 index cards briefly describes Texas servicemen who fought in World War II. The oil well index is a collection of approximately 170,000 cards indexing oil wells in Texas fields from 1944 to the early 1970s, arranged by county. Also included are three boxes cards relating to New Mexico fields.AR406, Series 825 boxes and 10 card file drawers (38 linear ft.)Materials are in English.Special Collections, The University of Texas at Arlington Library Historical Note

The Fort Worth Star-Telegram was formed by the union of the Fort Worth Star and Fort Worth Telegram. It began with the January 1, 1909 issue. The Fort Worth Star was started on February 1, 1906. The Star purchased the Fort Worth Telegram in 1909.

Scope and Contents

This is Series 8 of AR406, Fort Worth Star-Telegram Collection.

This series is organized in two subseries: Servicemen’s Records and an Oil Well Index. The servicemen’s records contain approximately 18,800 index cards, which describe World War II servicemen principally from Texas. Information given includes the serviceman’s rank, company, military branch, parents, parents’ address, spouse and family and their address, wounds, medals, and commendations. A number of cards refer to the "Lost Battalion," a famous group of Texas soldiers who were imprisoned by the Japanese in Java. The vertical file in Series 7 also includes information on Texas servicemen and prisoners of war.

The oil well index is a collection of approximately 170,000 cards consisting of an index of oil wells in Texas fields, 1944 to the early 1970s. The cards are arranged by county and give information on the ownership, financing, and production of each well. Information on the driller, production figures or non-production, depth of the well, drill stem test information, potential production based on the test, and changes in ownership are also recorded. These files are important because the information is of practical value. For example, it is noted at what depth oil or gas was encountered, as well as water, and if it is a dry hole, important for persons wishing to drill in a similar area. The subterranean topography can be mapped through this information and in fact structural maps are based on it.

Access

Open for research. The index cards can be accessed only in Special Collections.

Literary Rights Statement

Permission to publish, reproduce, distribute, or use by any and all other current or future developed methods or procedures must be obtained in writing from Special Collections, The University of Texas at Arlington Library. All rights are reserved and retained regardless of current or future development or laws that may apply to fair use standards.

Provenance

Dr. Charles C. Colley, Director of Special Collections, and Fort Worth lawyer, Jenkins Garrett, were actively involved in bringing the Fort Worth Star-Telegram Collection to UT Arlington. The university administration under President Wendell Nedderman and the university libraries director, John A. Hudson, gave their full support. Meetings that culminated in the donation agreement began in 1983, after Colley learned the newspaper was seeking a permanent custodian for their archives. Capitol Cities corporate headquarters and the administrative and editorial/library management staff of the Star-Telegram approved the donation of the Fort Worth Star-Telegram’s archives to Special Collections in 1983. The Fort Worth Star-Telegram archives donated the collection in increments from late June to October 1984. Subsequent donations of negatives were received in 1989, 1996, and 1999, while Dr. Gerald D. Saxon was Associate Director for Special Collections and Branch Libraries and Sally Gross was Head of Special Collections.

Acquisition

Gift, 1984-ongoing.

Citation

Fort Worth Star-Telegram Collection, AR406, Series 8, Box Number, Folder Number, Special Collections, The University of Texas at Arlington Library.

Organization

Series 8 is organized in two subseries and arranged alphabetically by name within each.

These materials are indexed under the following headings in the catalog of The University of Texas at Arlington Library. Researchers desiring materials about related topics, persons or places should search the catalog using these headings.